The King’s Fund reports that England now has 7.2 million more adults living with obesity than it would if rates had held at 1993 levels – the year after the first of 14 national obesity strategies was published in 1992.
This follows new analysis by the King’s Fund, which found that 15% of England’s adult population (those aged 16 and over) was obese in 1993, with rates reaching 30% in 2024. Obesity rates were found to be rising fastest in 16–24-year-olds, with 18% being classified as obese or severely obese in 2024 compared with just 6% in 1993 – a threefold increase.
When population change is accounted for, there are now 1.1 million young adults living with obesity in England, 730,000 more than if rates had not risen over the past thirty years.
Dave Buck, Senior Fellow for Public Health at the King’s Fund, said governments have “talked the talk on obesity but have not sufficiently walked the walk,” adding that the analysis “shows the scale of the failure to take the necessary action on tackling this obesity timebomb.”
In a recent BBC article, the following reasons were given for the rise:
- Service industry jobs make up a larger share of the economy, with a decline in traditional manufacturing and other work such as manual labour, meaning more people are in sedentary office jobs.
- Food prices have fallen since the 1990s, partly because of increased competition between the major supermarkets alongside an increase in fast food outlets and home delivery.
- Takeaways high in fats, salt and sugar are more widely available in areas of high deprivation where people are at higher risk of obesity.
- Less healthy foods in supermarkets are cheaper than they were three decades ago, and there have been several cost-of-living crises in recent years.
Where do GLP1s fit in the picture?
The King’s Fund said it’s understandable that the government is turning to GLP-1s as a tool to tackle obesity but warned against a short-term “sugar rush” of action that neglects the underlying causes of the crisis. It also highlighted that those who can benefit most from GLP-1s must be able to access them to not widen existing health inequalities. It called on the government to follow through on the healthy food standard commitments made in its 10-year Health Plan.
About the Author: Erin Dearlove
The King’s Fund reports that England now has 7.2 million more adults living with obesity than it would if rates had held at 1993 levels – the year after the first of 14 national obesity strategies was published in 1992.
This follows new analysis by the King’s Fund, which found that 15% of England’s adult population (those aged 16 and over) was obese in 1993, with rates reaching 30% in 2024. Obesity rates were found to be rising fastest in 16–24-year-olds, with 18% being classified as obese or severely obese in 2024 compared with just 6% in 1993 – a threefold increase.
When population change is accounted for, there are now 1.1 million young adults living with obesity in England, 730,000 more than if rates had not risen over the past thirty years.
Dave Buck, Senior Fellow for Public Health at the King’s Fund, said governments have “talked the talk on obesity but have not sufficiently walked the walk,” adding that the analysis “shows the scale of the failure to take the necessary action on tackling this obesity timebomb.”
In a recent BBC article, the following reasons were given for the rise:
- Service industry jobs make up a larger share of the economy, with a decline in traditional manufacturing and other work such as manual labour, meaning more people are in sedentary office jobs.
- Food prices have fallen since the 1990s, partly because of increased competition between the major supermarkets alongside an increase in fast food outlets and home delivery.
- Takeaways high in fats, salt and sugar are more widely available in areas of high deprivation where people are at higher risk of obesity.
- Less healthy foods in supermarkets are cheaper than they were three decades ago, and there have been several cost-of-living crises in recent years.
Where do GLP1s fit in the picture?
The King’s Fund said it’s understandable that the government is turning to GLP-1s as a tool to tackle obesity but warned against a short-term “sugar rush” of action that neglects the underlying causes of the crisis. It also highlighted that those who can benefit most from GLP-1s must be able to access them to not widen existing health inequalities. It called on the government to follow through on the healthy food standard commitments made in its 10-year Health Plan.
About the Author: Erin Dearlove
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